Downtown & Waterfront Planning

The Walker Collaborative's Phil Walker has over 25 years of experience preparing and implementing planning strategies for downtowns and waterfronts across the country. In addition to creating numerous master plans as a consultant, he has spearheaded revitalization efforts as the downtown organization director in Pensacola, Florida, as the City Planning Director in Natchez, Mississippi, and as a Board of Directors member of a local Main Street program. He served from 2011-2013 as the Interim Director of the Two Rivers Company - the downtown and riverfront revitalization agency for Clarksville, Tennessee. Phil Walker has also consulted to the National Main Street Center and has been a speaker on the subject at several universities and downtown revitalization conferences. His book entitled Downtown Planning for Smaller and Mid-sized Communities was published in 2009 by the American Planning Association's Planners Press.

"There is a lot to like in Northport's plan for downtown and riverfront redevelopment, including a few reasons that it may actually influence the future rather than just gather dust on a shelf in City Hall. Northport has had visionary plans before that never amounted to much. But contained in Walker's report are suggestions that could build the continuity needed to reshape the heart of Northport."